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Debutant Keen To Make Most Of Club International Call

Young Edinburgh full-back, Tom Brown (Currie), aims to add his name to the roster of Scotland Club Internationalists who have become prominent figures in the professional game.

Selected to start at full-back for the side’s match against France in Orleans on Friday (4 February, kick-off 6pm GMT) the youngster (a regular in lDebutant keen to make most of Club International Call

ast season’s Scotland under-20 side) has earned rave reviews playing for Premier 1 side Currie both domestically and in the British & Irish Cup.

Young Edinburgh full-back, Tom Brown (Currie), aims to add his name to the roster of Scotland Club Internationalists who have become prominent figures in the professional game.

Selected to start at full-back for the side’s match against France in Orleans on Friday (4 February, kick-off 6pm GMT) the youngster (a regular in last season’s Scotland under-20 side) has earned rave reviews playing for Premier 1 side Currie both domestically and in the British & Irish Cup.

As one of ten new caps in the side (and one of six to start), Brown believes that the efforts of former club internationalists Lee Jones, Jim Thompson, John Houston and Jon Welsh in Scotland A’s recent 32-13 victory over Ireland A on Friday (28 January) are indicative of the opportunities that lie ahead.

He said: “It’s a privilege to be selected for the club international team. I followed the team while I was at school and playing club rugby so it’s great to be a part of it, especially to be starting at full back. I’m really excited about the game.

“In previous years I’d be playing age-grade rugby around now which really tested my rugby and focussed my mind on how I could play the best rugby possible.

“With my time in age-grade sides behind me it’s been great to get British & Irish Cup rugby with Currie while selection for the club international team is another step up and another opportunity to really push myself.

“Our match [against France] on Friday is my main focus but, with the 6 Nations coming up over the next few months, chances could come up at Edinburgh and if any come my way then I’ll grab them with both hands.

“I’m always looking for that chance and high intensity matches for the club international team will test my rugby at a higher level, put me in the best position to progress my career and join the other capped club internationalists who have gone on to great things with their pro sides and, more recently, Scotland A.”

Brown is joined by fellow Currie back, Dougie Fife, and Melrose winger Fraser Thomson (who debuted in the corresponding fixture last year) in the back three, while Glasgow Hawks centre Dean Kelbrick will get his first club international cap partnering Dundee’s Harry Duthie in the centre.

The starting back-line is completed by the same half-back partnership in place for the side’s 13-9 victory over France at Netherdale last season, that of Currie scrum-half Richard Snedden and Melrose stand-off Scott Wight.

Up front, Eric Milligan (hooker) will debut in between props Alan Dymock (Heriot’s) and Alan Brown (Dundee) while lock Rory McKay (Glasgow Hawks) and Damien Kelly (Ayr) are the second winning partnership to start the tie.

The fourth and final new cap to start, Ayr’s Rob Colhoun, joins captain John Dalziel (Melrose) and Ross Weston (Currie) in the back-row to complete the starting XV.

The Scotland Club International squad travel to France today (Thursday 3 February). The side will then return to Netherdale to take on Ireland on Friday 11 March (kick-off 7.30pm) – Admission is free.

Scotland Club International team to play France in Orleans, Friday 4 February (Kick-off 6PM GMT)